The Phantom Lives On
by GabreilsGirl
Summary: One Shot. Based on Leroux novel. Erik moves to Albany NY and meets a boy named Ed.


The Phantom Lives On: One Shot

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, wish I did. Gaston Leroux owns it. This is a very short sequel to the novel. It seems harsh at times, but im all for Erik so im not being mean to him ok?

Important: You might understand this better if you have read the novel.

On with the story:

Towards the end of the novel Erik told the Persian that when he died he would mail him Christine Daae's thing, to inform the couple of his death and to advertise it in the Époque, the local newspaper. However, this was a trick. How could a dead guy use the post office? Erik wanted to be dead. He knew that while Christine knew he was alive she would not be able to live a normal and happy life. If she thought the "monster" was gone, then she could be happy. The Époque was wrong, Erik was not dead. Now Christine could happily continue her career in music without hafting to worry about an insane deformed guy kidnapping her whenever she set foot in the Opera house. Erik thought it was time for a change. He moved to America, downtown Albany, NY to be precise

He was surprised to find that everyone on the town was strange. No one looked twice at his mask as he walked down the street. He passed by this huge empty lot with tons of people surrounding a few men. He saw a sign that read "Coming soon: Proctors theatre. The most largest and handsomest, and most costly theatre yet." (Actually quoted from Frederick Francis Proctor). Erik recognized this as a groundbreaking ceremony. They had one for the Paris Opera house, except he didn't attend. He also noticed the famed theater architect, Thomas Lamb. (Actual architect of Proctor's) Erik was a big fan. He'd have to come back when the theater was all built and see how it turned out.

Erik continued his walk down the street until he came to an orphanage. He noticed some kids playing outside, but no they weren't playing there was a smaller child curled up on the ground being kicked by the other kids. That wasn't the only thing that made Erik mad, the kids were calling the one on the ground "monster".

Erik hopped the fence and pushed the kids away from the little one and carried him into the orphanage.

When Erik brought the child inside and told the caretakers what happened they simply responded, "The devil child deserves it". Erik knew he could never get through to the caretakers and make them understand. He could take off his mask…..no that probly wasn't the best idea. So, he decided to adopt the child so the kid wouldn't have to go through what he did when he was a child. The kid's name was Ed. Ed was 8 years old and very ambiguous. (ohhh big word. Thank my English teacher.) He was scrawny like he hadn't eaten in a while. The clothes he wore hung loosely around his bony structure. He had short red hair and bright blue eyes.

Erik assumed he was Irish. The scum of the earth, back in those days, according to "normal" people was those who were deformed and those who were Irish. (I'm not racist it's just the time period, besides I'm Irish) To be deformed and Irish? This kid was going to have a rough life.

Seeing how skinny the kid was, Erik decided to get him something to eat. They stopped at a diner called O'Mahony (an actual diner in the 1920's in Albany) Erik would finally have a child to call his son. A child that would love him. Not hate him because he was deformed. The kid looked ten times worse than Erik. Erik wanted to talk to the kid, but didn't know how to start, surprisingly the kid started for him.

For the next hour they talked about their favorite novels and their ideas. Ed was a very bright kid. His favorite subjects were math (shudder) , science and the arts. He wished he could go to school. Ed loved learning, but when he tried to go to school kids made fun of him calling him "special Ed" and threw rocks at him during recess. Erik, being nice, offered to tutor him. Of course, he accepted.

Erik told Ed that he was deformed from birth and then asked ED how he was deformed. He said he was also born that way. He suffered from what doctors called craniofacial disease, which is, unfortunately, incurable. (Remember Nurosurgury doesn't exist yet)

Ed had a long skinny head, bulged eyes and a severe cleft lip. He also had webbed hands and feet and ears that looked all shriveled up. The skin around his eyes and mouth were raw and blistered from his eyes watering and saliva dripping all the time. The cleft lip made it hard for him to pronounce his words correctly, but now his "father" Erik was there and he would never be lonely again.

The two walked back to Erik's house and lived happily ever after. (Ohhhhhhhh)

The End

It doesn't have to be the end. If you guys want I can easily keep it going by taking out the happily ever after part.

Please Review.


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